*** Information concerning the above books may be had on application to the Editor of The Mentor. _THE OPEN LETTER_ In the coming months of reconstruction and restoration in Europe, Italy will have special problems of her own to solve. Victory in the world war means for Italy five million additional mouths to feed in her redeemed territory. Close rationing will, therefore, be necessary for a long time, and a liberal food allotment from outside relief sources must be made. Italy cannot be accused of having neglected her land. The total area of the country comprises 70,820,197 acres, only a little over 7 per cent of which is unproductive land. In her agricultural production, however, cereals do not play an important part. Her wheat product did not meet her domestic demands even before the war, and annual importations of grain were always necessary. The situation, therefore, today, after the terrible toll that war has taken, is acute and distressing as far as the main "staff of life" is concerned. Italy produces fruits in quantity, but a starving nation cannot live by fruit alone. The traveler in Italy today may feast his eyes on twelve million acres of vine-covered slopes, but the children of the land are crying for milk and bread. The wines of Italy are famous for their flavor and quality, and her olives and lemons are known throughout the world, but the people cannot survive on wine and olives. They need more substantial food, and, under the present strict rationing, each person receives only seventeen pounds of bread a month. * * * * * Italy's exports have been chiefly olives, lemons and cheese--Gorgonzola and Parmesan being among the famous brands. These fine Italian cheeses are made from goats' milk, and, as there is little enough of that now to feed wounded soldiers and children, the exportation of cheese has been stopped. Before the war olives and olive oil were shipped in huge quantities. There are miles and miles of olive trees to be seen from train windows when traveling through Italy. Today just as many olives are grown, and as much olive oil is obtained, but it is needed at home and is carefully guarded there. The Italian government practically controls the output and very little is permitted for export. Lemons are grown in great quantities and are still exported to some extent. The difficulty in obtaining boats, however, has made it impossible to ship any considerable quantity of lemons, and so this source of income has been virtually eliminated. * * * * *